Pauly Shore will soon don a singlet and shorts to play 1980s fitness guru Richard Simmons in a new biopic currently in production, but it won't happen without the 75-year-old's blessing. Probably not.
“Hello everyone!” Simmons wrote on his social media Wednesday. “You may have heard that there might be a movie about Pauly Shore and me. I've never greenlit this movie. So don't believe everything you read. Please, I don't have a manager anymore, I don't have a publicist anymore.'' ”
He added, “I'm just trying to live a quiet life and be at peace. Thank you for everyone's love and support.”
Richard Simmons says he has not given permission for a new biopic about his life to be made starring Pauly Shore. (Evan Agostini/Harry Langdon)
According to The Hollywood Reporter, this is Simmons' verified Facebook page. Fox News Digital reached out to Simmons' last known representative, who did not respond for comment.
The film will be released on the heels of a short film that Shore filmed about Simmons called “The Court Jester,” which Shore said was made before Christmas and will be shown at the Sundance Film Festival later this week. It is said that it will be screened at. It will also be released on YouTube on January 20th.
Richard Simmons celebrates his 75th birthday and updates his status for the first time in nearly 10 years since his public life.
Shore, best known for his 90s comedies such as “Bio Dome” and “Encino Man,” said in an Instagram video Wednesday that after Simmons created a comical YouTube video series called “Sweatin' with the Wiez.” He explained that he came to play the role of Simmons. In his backyard three years ago, he was dressed and acting like Simmons, and viewers began comparing the two in memes.
One commenter wrote in 2020: “There would be no justice in the world if a documentary was made about Richard Simmons and Paulie didn't get the part.”
On Wednesday, Shore said he is currently in talks with screenwriters and producers who are pitching a script for the biopic.
Richard Simmons left the spotlight for this reason, claims Doc: 'He's not the same guy anymore'
“If I ever get the chance to be in a Richard Simmons biopic, I'm definitely going to do it because I take things very seriously,” Shore said on Instagram. “I immerse myself in the body, soul, and spirit of Richard Simmons.”
He added, “Richard, if you're looking, nothing but love, brother, nothing but love. And let's see if we can do this, we have power. Together, we can bring beautiful, beautiful work for people to see.” That way we can spread your word. ”
In September, Mr. Shore said he had contacted Mr. Simmons about the biopic, adding, “And his agent told me that Richard loves me and my mother. (I have known him for a long time), but I respectfully bid farewell to Richard.” , would like to keep it private and that should be respected by all of us. Richard, we all miss you, love you very much and want only what is best for you. you are in our hearts. You can contact me anytime. ”Please change your mind. ”
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According to Variety, the biopic is being developed by the Woppler Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.
“I'm really excited to share Richard Simmons' life with the world,” Shore said in a statement obtained by Variety. “We need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, made people healthy, and was his true silly self! When he was on TV You couldn't take your eyes off him at any time, and he brought so much joy to his appearances.''It just represented a good time.'' ”
Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for Wopler and Shore for comment.
Simmons first became famous in the late 1970s for appearances on “The Richard Simmons Show,” game shows and late-night television, and for his workout video “Sweatin' to the Oldies,” which was first released in 1988.
Richard Simmons in 2010. (Bobby Bank/Wire Image)
After decades in the spotlight, Simmons abruptly stopped teaching at his workout studio in 2014 and withdrew from public life entirely. His disappearance sparked a podcast titled “Missing Richard Simmons,'' as well as a number of conspiracy theories claiming he was being held hostage by his housekeeper in a Hollywood Hills home.
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In 2022, FOX aired the documentary TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons, which explored his rise to stardom and surprising departure from the public eye.
In the wake of the show, Simmons released a statement on social media. “Thank you everyone for your kindness and love! Love, Richard,” he wrote at the time.
Encino Man starring Pauly Shore, Brendan Fraser and Sean Astin (Encino Man Productions/Getty Images)
According to the documentary, Simmons returned to her private life around the time she was told her knee was bad and needed surgery.
“Doctors told her around the time she disappeared in 2014 that she needed a left knee replacement,” the doctor claimed. “And if he doesn't exercise, he may never be able to exercise again. Now, this is the key to Richard Simmons' disappearance. With the prospect of surgery and the prospect of becoming sedentary, Richard fell into a deep depression… We know that to this day, Richard has still not had corrective surgery on his left knee. He’s not the same guy anymore.”
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“He wanted to be remembered as a vibrant, healthy man, not an elderly man with medical problems. Richard wanted to step back before his image was recast as an old man. His knee problem was a big factor in that,” the doctor claimed. His decision…he had his right knee replaced several years ago. I still needed my left knee. He was in a lot of pain. ”
Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
